Tyr's Hand
Once this ancient city was the third largest city in all of the old Kingdom of Lordaeron; however, following the ravages of the Third War and the pestilence of the Scourge this city was all that remained of old Lordaeron. With its recapture by the Lordaeron Temple Knights and Argent Crusade, Tyr's Hand has become the primary bastion for humanity on the continent by its emergence of the capital city for New Lordaeron. Geography and Climate Tyr's Hand is situated in the middle of a mountain passage that divides the South Amani Range of mountains. On the west side of the valley is the vast Darrowmere Forest and on the east side are the rolling highlands of the Havenshire Borough. To the north is the steep snow capped mountain known to the Mossflayer troll tribe as "Zeb'Aswani" or "Tyr's Reach" for humans. A stream runs from the mountain year round and deposits into the mountain lake of Thantyrian which has been used to supply the city during past sieges. Climate and Vegetation Temperatures in Tyr's Hand typically insure that summers are brief with cool breezes coming from the oceans and the winters are longer with sharp chills coming down from the north mountains to sweep over the city---leading many of the citizens taking to wear a scarf over their faces for half the year. As with most of Lordaeron, snow can be expected each year yet the melting begins in the middle of First Winter rather than at the start of Spring---which is the case for the Stratholme or Hearthglen Provinces. ' ' Vegetation is predominantly conferious which is why artistic depictions of Lordaeron in winter show vast swaths of greenery. Lordaeron Pine is more than a fragrance, it is the common tree to the northern provinces and it's evergreen needles retain their color through every season save for Autumn with the outermost layer is shed and regrow within weeks. The pine remains the most noticeable item of Tyr's Hand city beautification, sometimes they are taken from the ground in Tyr's Fiefs and replanted along the streets or parks in the prestigeous quarters and main streets. History Recorded history shows that Tyr's Hand was founded in 530 BAC when the Kingdom of Lordaeron began a rapid eastward expansion into Darrowmere Forest. It was the king's intent to stake a claim to the primary mountain pass to the east coast before the high elves or Amani trolls could move in. Only twenty years prior did Captain Ren Tossas from Lordaeron's frontier town of Browdale (modern New Browdale) led a force of militiamen through the mountain pass and forced the Revantusk trolls to flee southwards. Colonization A committee of colonists from Hearthglen approached the king of Lordaeron and requested a charter for settlement in Darrowmere Forest. The king granted their request assigned them the plot of land on what would one day be known as the Tyr's Hand Acropolis. The journey through the Darrowmere wilderness took nearly a month as the colonists traveled on unfamiliar routes, muddy roads, and more often than not no roads at all. When they arrived, only 300 of the original 385 had survived. The leaders of the expedition were clerics from Hearthglen that belonged to a fringe monastic order known as the Order of the Silver Day. It was they who named the colony Tyr's Haven. A winter set in, the colonists hurriedly built a public meeting hall, chapel, and several cottages to wait out bitter cold and snow of the Lordaeron winter. The clerics' leader, Draedorius, managed to hold the community together until the snow melted and planting could begin. Tyr's Haven quickly found itself a frequented stop for traders moving between Browdale and Stratholme to Avalon (future New Avalon) or for colonists making their way to newly chartered settlements in the region that was beginning to be called Havenshire. Growth Royal census records held in Tyr's Hand, and thus spared destruction during the Third War, record that Tyr's Haven held a population of 1200 people in Year 475 BAC and then at 2700 in 425 BAC. Records of the city's history show that by 425 the Acropolis had become walled off with a monastery built upon it for the Order of the Silver Day. By 400, the entire city had been fortified by a low stone wall; however, it only encompassed one third of modern Tyr's Hand. Construction began on the Grand Basilica of Tyr's Hand (presently called the Truefaith Cathedral) around 389 BAC when the Church of the Holy Light began to grow concerned about the Silver Day movement. It was the Archbishop's hope that a grand structure to glorify the Light would weaken the Silver Day's hold on the populace. In 385 BAC, the Basilica was completed and in the course of a decade the Order of the Silver Day had disappeared and their old monastery was converted into a governor's palace. Between Years 260 BAC to 210 BAC, Tyr's Hand under went a period of massive growth once Tyr's Bay had been constructed and the city rested on the major trading route between the highways of Via Prosperitatis and Tyr's Way. During the time, the city walls where extended to stretch from one side of the mountain pass to the other on both the east and west sides. With the population at nearly 8000, massive public work projects were undertaken which included large tenements to house the people, aqueducts, sewers, hospitals, schools, parks, and so on. The large clocktower of City Hall and the Adrius Library were all built during this time. Duchy of Tyr's Hand It was during Lordaeron's succession crisis of 177 BAC when Tyr's Palace was built atop the Acropolis. One of the recently deceased king's sons fled to Tyr's Hand after a failed coup to overthrow his brother. After a year in exile, an agreement was reached between the two brothers in which the one in Tyr's Hand would be named Duke of the Tyr's Hand Duchy which would act as a semi-autonomous state. The first and only Duke of Tyr's Hand ordered the Palace's construction, but would die before its completion in 164 BAC. Once the Duke of Tyr's Hand died with no heir, his brother resorbed the Duchy into the Kingdom. As for the Palace, it was made the civil and military headquarters for the southeastern quarter of the Darrowmere Forests. The Westland Plague Little would transpire in Tyr's Hand until Year 65 BAC besides a fluctuating population and the extension of their walls to incorporate the current Market District. In Year 64 BAC, Tyr's Hand was the focal point for the Westland Plague. The Westland Plague emerged somewhere in the Darrowmere Forest two years earlier. At first the disease had been contained to a single village but a few months later three other villages had to be quarantined. After a year of relative calm, citizens of Tyr's Hand had been infected and within weeks half of the population was ill. Those going in and out of the city carried the sickness to the surrounding villages and cities. By Year 62 BAC, the plague had run its course, leaving tens of thousands dead and more bearing physical and mental scars. Nearly, one quarter of The city's population had died and another quarter had dispersed throughout the countryside in a vain attempt to escape the affliction. In the course of the next decade, the residents would be on edge every time they heard a rumor of plagues or epidemics. The Second War When the Second War broke out in in Year 6 BAC, over half of the male populace volunteered for military service. During the early months, the Church of the Holy Light used Tyr's Hand as one of their primary locations for training new paladins. After the Battle of Hillsbrad, Doomhammer's forces flooded into the Hinterlands. En route the Horde's forces devastated much of the Alterac lowlands. The Alteracean refugees flooded into Lordaeron's northern provinces---in particular they flocked to Tyr's Hand. It was not long until an the friction between the natives and refugees resulted in a backlash. Alliance High Command dispatched Uther the Lightbringer to quell the unrest. Upon his arrival, he found the refugees to be in open revolt against the populace. Uther immediately instituted martial law and had the refugees either arrested or taken to camps on the city's outskirts to wait out the war. It would later be discovered that Lord Perenolde had orchestrated the revolt in an attempt to draw Alliance militias away from the Hearthglen Wood where they could easily reinforce Capital City once the orcs laid siege to the city. Tyr's Hand itself saw its first taste of the war when the Horde's navy launched a surprise attack on Tyr's Stronghold, the island fortress in Tyr's Bay. The Stronghold's skeletal force of untrained militia were no match the Horde was victorious. From their they overwhelmed the port of Tyr's Bay and began to raid Havenshire's countryside. Lord Uther rallied the defenders of Tyr's Hand and pushed the orcs off the mainland and confined to Tyr's Stronghold. The Horde would continue to threaten Tyr's Hand by holding onto Tyr's Stronghold even a year after the Dark Portal was destroyed. Once the orc's surrendered, Tyr's Hand finally breathed a sigh of relief. Martial law was lifted and daily life slowly began to resume. Only a third of the men that left the city would return, a third had died in action, and the remaining third was still serving as garrison guards for internment camps or as the occupational defense forces in Stormwind as it was being rebuilt. Interbellum Between the Second and Third Wars, Tyr's Hand was made the capital of the military and administrative northeastern provinces under King Terenas' post-war reforms. New administrative offices in the city sprung up, expanding the royal bureaucracy and treasury outside of Capital City. A military governor was also stationed in the city to oversee the recruitment of new Alliance troops and maintenance of Alliance defensive infrastructure. Tyr's Hand received Lord Valdelmar as their military governor a few months before the Third War's start. The Church took a greater interest in the city during this time. The used the monasteries to begin the recruitment of new paladins by bringing them into the priesthood first, then taking them through combat training at the newly constructed forts and barracks spread throughout the countryside. As with most of Lordaeron, the prosperity of the people declined. This was a result of the diminished labor force and increased taxes that went towards the orc internment camps. The people grew to resent the disproportionate wealth of the Alliance officers compared to the citizenry. On more than one occasion troops had to be called in to quell riots. When word of the Horde's reformation in Year 19 AC under Warchief Thrall reached Tyr's Hand, it caused a panic and many from the countryside flocked to the city for protection. Within weeks,any resentment toward's the Alliance garrison evaporated. Third War When the first rumors of plague outbreaks in the Hearthglen Woods, the people of Tyr's Hand were set on edge immediately. They grew to prefer isolation within their corner of Lordaeron. On several occasions, High General Abbendis closed the city's gates for days in order to appease popular demand to be closed off. Shortly after the Culling of Stratholme, the people felt justified in their paranoia. The gates of the city were sealed and rarely opened. The port at Tyr's Bay had to closed since merchants could no longer pass through Tyr's Hand. Lord Valdelmar placed the city under martial law at news of the king's murder. The civilian government was dissolved and the people began to flock to the city's religious buildings as the military rule turned into a theocratic one. After Archimonde's summoning at Dalaran, the demons of the Burning Legion spread across the northlands, seeking to destroy all life. Tyr's Hand had its share of demonic attackers but none of them could adequately threaten their security. Archimonde's defeat in the west brought about the retreat of his minions in the east. Recent History Scarlet Occupation The relative peace to follow was bittersweet as the countryside west of Tyr's Hand was contaminated by the plague and the Scourge was moving eastwards as the Forsaken pushed them out of Tirisfal. The city's thick walls and enormous garrison at the time of the Third War allowed it to resist the Undead from Year 20 to Year 28 AC. Unfortunately, in the course of those 8 years, the fear and turmoil within the city made them easily controlled by the Scarlet Crusade. During this time, the city had managed to prevent the lands east of them in Havenshire from being corrupted. The farms and mines of the region fueled the Scarlet's war efforts until in 27 AC when the Lich King overwhelmed the area. The Tyr's Hand State New Lordaeron Role in the Civil War Post-Civil War Etymology The term "Tyr" is the name of a legendary hero from ancient human lore. The reference to Tyr's hand comes from the legend which states that a great leader named Tyr, an icon of justice and peace, lost his hand to an evil force. Tyr's hand became a symbol of justice and faith in human society. The Order of the Silver Day is known to have idealized the figure of Tyr; thereby, they named their colony "Tyr's Haven". Name Change Records show that the change in the city's name from Tyr's Haven to Tyr's Hand was gradual. Reports from Capital City referred to it as Tyr's Hand for the first time in 413 BAC; whereas, local census documents continued to call it Tyr's Haven until 369 BAC. Historians believe that the administration in Capital City classified the region as Tyr's Hand and simply referred to the city by that same name. Church historians have suggested that the name Tyr's Hand was introduced by the Order of the Silver Day and used this name in their correspondence with the Archbishop; thereby, leading to some confusion among the western bureaucrats. Politics Historically, Tyr's Hand's location has given it an elevated status within Lordaeron's administrative structure. At present, it continues that heritage as New Lordaeron's capital. Economics Social Culture Religion Food Festivals *The Day of Coronation (only takes place when a new king or queen had been crowned) *King's Birthday (the day of the reigning king's birth; currently, King Terenas' birthday on the 50th Day of First Winter is still celebrated) *Day of Spring Solstice / Noblegarden, on the 18th day of Spring *Midsummer, on the 49th day of Summer *Day of Autumn Solstice / Wickerman's Festival, on the 83rd day of Autumn *Hordefall, on the 2nd day of Spring Category:Places Category:New Lordaeron Category:Settlement